Similar to the TV show "Seinfeld" with its cast of likeable, but essentially petty characters, this is a film about a group of people who sit around and talk about "nothing." Of course that nothing refers to unexciting events such as their social lives and commenting on mundane subjects that no one, other than Jerry and company, would even care or bother to examine. While the plot is the film's weakest element and often flip flops about without ever getting anywhere, it's the richly drawn and diverse characters that make the film interesting and fun to watch. His previous films, 1990's "Metropolitan" (for which he received an Oscar nomination for best screenplay) and 1994's "Barcelona," are noted for their heavy use of talk and a cast of intelligently crafted characters, and Stillman certainly doesn't stray from that formula here. Much like playwright turned filmmaker David Mamet ("The Spanish Prisoner"), Stillman has an exceptional ear and brilliant gift for writing dialogue. Featuring a meandering and near pointless plot, but some clever and quite often funny dialogue, the film probably won't appeal to mainstream audiences, but should please fans of art house fare. OUR TAKE: 6.5 out of 10 Playing more like David Mamet meets Seinfeld than either "Saturday Night Fever" or "Boogie Nights," writer/director Whit Stillman's latest "indie" film has the requisite, thumping disco soundtrack, outrageous attire and colorful light shows, but it's more about a group of upscale twentysomething's discussing their lives and careers then the musical era itself. MACKENZIE ASTIN plays an ad agency man who's preoccupied with losing his job if he can't get clients into the club and later he has a relationship with Charlotte.MATT KEESLAR plays an assistant district attorney whose uses lithium to regulate his depressive state, and who's torn between his friendship with Des and his duty to his job that involves investigating the club.CHRISTOPHER EIGEMAN plays a manager at the club who can't decide upon his sexual preference and turns out to be a drug addict.KATE BECKINSALE plays the aggressively opinionated young woman who also frequents the club, drinks a lot and freely speaks her mind without thinking that she might offend someone or hurt their feelings.from a man with whom she had a one night stand. CHLOE SEVIGNY plays the reserved and socially awkward young woman who hangs out at the disco, drinks most of the time and ends up getting V.D.WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For some elements involving sexuality and drugs. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Some older teens just might, especially if they're fans of someone in the cast or of the Disco era, but this "talky" film will have no appeal to preteens. As the months pass and the last days of disco approach, the group ponders a wide variety of issues. While the Harvard men and the Hampshire women intermingle and discuss their lives and careers, Charlotte hooks up with Jimmy and Alice sleeps with Tom Platt (ROBERT SEAN LEONARD), a lawyer and another of Des' college buddies. Des already has his own share of problems including his ambiguous sexuality as well as a growing drug problem, not to mention that his college buddy, Josh Neff (MATT KEESLAR), now an assistant district attorney, is investigating the club. Unfortunately for him, the club's shady owner, Bernie Rafferty (DAVID THORNTON), doesn't want ad people in his establishment, and thus tells one of his mangers, Des McGrath (CHRISTOPHER EIGEMAN), to remove Jimmy, his friend. Thus, they head off to the local hot disco where Alice spots Jimmy Steinway (MACKENZIE ASTIN), a man she finds attractive and whose position at an ad agency depends on him getting clients into the club. While Alice is the more subdued, "good girl," Charlotte is an aggressively opinionated and smug woman who believes she can help Alice's poor social life. Although they never got along in college and aren't really friends, their collective need for a place to live forces them to rent a cramped apartment with another woman, Holly (TARA SUBKOFF). PLOT: Alice Kinnon (CHLOE SEVIGNY) and Charlotte Pingress (KATE BECKINSALE) are recent Hampshire college graduates who work as lowly book publisher assistants. QUICK TAKE: Drama: A group of upper-middle class graduates and professionals examine their lives and relationships while spending time in an early 80's disco. (1998) (Chloe Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale) (R)
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